Lubricator means for strip casting machines



Oct. 1, 1957 A. H. NARROW ETAL 2,807,843

LUBRICATOR MEANS FOR STRIP CASTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 25. 1956 FIG.

52 F INVENTORS,

-' EIF L ANTON H.NARROW EDWARD A.NARROW United States Patent 4 LUBRICATOR MEANS FOR STRIP CASTING MACHINES Anton H.Narrw and Edward A. Narrow, Memphis, Tenn. Application January 23, 1956, Serial No. 560,660 8 Claims. ((11. 22-512 This invention relates to im roved means for lubricatting strip casting machines in the production of metal strips for use in printing and the like.

In the casting of metal strips by strip casting machines the molten metal intermittently introduced under pressure into a mold and drawn therefrom through a die to form the desired shape of continuous strip. The metal is cooled before it passes through the die whereby it may be pulled therefrom by a pulling mechanism, the'molten metal being subjected to only the pressure required to allow it to follow through the die rather than being ex trude'd therefrom.

A lubricant is needed to facilitate the passage of the strip through the die so that the strip will be of uniform size and will have smooth surfaces. This lubricant is mixed with the molten metal, and heretofore it has been a constant problem of obtaining the proper amount of lubricant and of obtaining a uniform mixture'with the metal.

Heretofore various attempts have been made for introducing the lubricant to the metal. In previous devices the lubricant has been introduced by a gravity feed orin the form of a vapor, both having attendant problems, the gravity feed being diflicult to control since the lubricant will continue to drip into the metal at undesired times, and the difficulty in the vapor feed being in the inability to obtain the proper ratio of lubricant to metal mixture.

It is contemplated in the present invention that improved means he provided which is not responsive to gravity but responsive to the suction created in the strip casting machine as by the action of the piston therein.

It is further contemplated that improved flow control means he provided for" accurately controlling the flovv of the lubricant established by the abovementioned suction.

The principal object of the invention is to provide improved means for introducing lubricant to a strip casting machine. 7

A further object is to provide such'means which is suction operated.

A further object is to provide means for controlling the flow of lubricant through the lubricator device.

A further object is to provide means for efficient mixing of the molten material and the lubricant, said means including a mixing chamber communicated directly with the mold of the strip casting machine, the lubricant being uniformly introduced to the top surface of the molten metal in the mixing chamber.

A further object is generally to improve the design and construction of lubricator means for strip casting machines.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects of the present invention are accomplished and their manner of accomplishment will be readily understood from the following specification upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view partly in elevation and partly in section of a portion of a strip casting machine showing the lubricator means of the present invention incorporated therein.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view of the lubricator means.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view on a similar scale of the device of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals, 11 designates a crucible or molten material container of a strip casting machine with which the lubricator means of the present invention may be incorporated. The metal material used in the strip casting machine is melted while in crucible 11, as by suitable heating means, not shown. Provided in crucible 11 isa cylinder 13 in which is slidably mounted a piston 15. Piston 15 is adapted to be reciprocably operated in cylinder 13 as by means of a piston rod 17 which is connected at one end to the piston and at the other end to reciprocating means, not shown. 7

Cylinder13 is formed in a block 19 which is secured within crucible 11. Block 19 is provided with a pair of apertures or bores 21, 23, which are disposed adjacent the lower portion thereof and communicate with the interim of cylinder 13. A- reservoir 25 may be coupled at one end to aperture 21 and coupled at the other end as by a passage 26 to the interior of a mold 27. Regulating means 28 may be coupled to aperture 23 and may include a valve stein 29, inlet channels 31 and a check valve 33. Other details of construction of the regulating means and the other details of the strip casting machine have herein been omitted for purposes of simplicity since they form no part of the present invention, and details of construction' may be found by referring to Narrow Patent No; 2,531,290, issued November 21, 1950.

The improved lubricator means of the present invention may include a depending pipe or conductor 35 having an open lower end which is in communication with the interior of crucible 11. The upper end of depending pipe 35 is coupled to a mixing chamber 37, which is in communication with mold 27 by means of a passage 39. The above mentioned mixing chamber 37, passage 39, and upper portion of reservoir 25 may be provided: in a 'block 40, as best illustrated in Fig. 1. Reservoir 25 and passage 39 are preferably coupled into mold 27 at adjacent positions along one side of mold 27 with passage 39 preferably entering the mold at a position which is above the entrance of reservoir 25. Passage 39 is provided with an enlargement 41 adjacent mold 27 Check valve means may be provided in enlargement 41 and may include a valve ball member 43 and valve seat 45 provided at the juncture of enlargement portion 41 and the narrow portion 46 of passage 39.

Depending abutment means is provided in enlargement 41. Said abutment means may comprise a threaded stud 47 threadedly engaged in a threaded socket extending from the upper surface of block 40 to enlargement 41. Threaded stud 47 extends partially across enlargement 41, the lower extremity thereof being spaced from the bottom of enlargement 41, though not necessarily so. The diameter of stud 47 is small enough so that it does not block the passage of molten metal past stud 47 but prevents movement of ball member 43 from enlargement 41. Stud 47 is'accessi-ble from the exterior of block 40 whereby the positioning of the stud may be varied or may be retracted from enlargement 41 for replacement of ball member 43. Valve ball member 43 is freely float'able between Valve seat 45 and stud 47. From the foregoing it will be understood that check valve means is provided wherein when liquid flows through enlargement 41 and past stud-47 towards mixing chamber 37, valve ball member 43'will seat in valve seat 45 and check the flow of liquid therethrough. Conversely, when the liquid flows in an opposite direction towards mold 27 the valve ball member 43 will unseat and permit liquid to flow through the passage.

An inverted substantially U-shaped conduit 49 couples mixing chamber 37 with an open lubricant container 5 1, which may be supported by any suitable means as by a right angular bracket 52 secured to the side of crucible 11. Conduit 49 may comprise in general a short depending pipe section 53 threadedly engaged in block 40 and communicated with mixing chamber 37, a horizontal pipe 55 coupled to pipe section 53 at one end and the other end coupled to a coupler 56 which in turn is coupled to depending pipe section 57. Depending pipe section 57 is preferably longer than pipe section 53 and opens into lubricant container 51, being spaced from the bottom thereof. From the foregoing description it will be understood pipe section 53 forms one leg of the inverted U, and pipe section 57 together with coupler 56 forms the other leg thereof.

The details of construction of conduit 49 are preferably as hereinafter set forth. Coupler 56 is preferably vertically disposed and is centrally bored from the top to the bottom end thereof to form an upper chamber 59 and an enlarged lower chamber 61 joined by a reduced bore 63. The upper surface of lower chamber 61 is preferably tapered towards reduced bore 63 as at 64. The lower portion of upper chamber 59 is tapered towards its lower end to form conical valve seat 65 adapted to mate with a complementarily formed conical lower end portion 67 of a vertically disposed valve stem 69. The lower extremity of portion 67 may be provided with a depending tip 71 which is adapted to project into bore 63 to effect partial closure thereof.

Stem 69 is threaded along a portion of the exterior thereof as at 73, and is threadedly engaged with internal threading in the upper portion of upper chamber 59. From the foregoing it will be understood needle valve means 74 is provided including stem 69 and valve seat 65, and that stem 69 may be run upwardly to increase the valve opening or may be run downwardly to decrease or shut off the valve opening.

A cap 75 having internal threading is threadedly engaged with exterior threading provided on the upper end of coupling 56. Packing 77 is provided interiorly of cap 75 in the space formed between the upper end of coupler 56 and the interior of cap 75. Cap 75 and packing 77 are centrally bored to receive valve stem 69 which extends therethrough and projects beyond the upper surface of cap 75. It will be understood that as cap 75 is run downwardly on coupler 56, packing 77 will be tightened against stem 69 to insure a seal along the valve stem.

Lever means 78 is adjustably secured to the portion of valve stem 69 which extends above the upper surface of cap 75. Lever means 78 preferably comprises an annular base 79 having the upper portion of stem 69 extending through the bore thereof, the base 79 being secured to stem 69 as by means of a set screw 81. Additionally, lever means 78 comprises an elongated horizontal arm 83 threadedly engaged at one end in a threaded socket provided in annular base 79 and vertically flattened at the other end thereof to provide a pointer as at 85.

Indicator means may be provided for indicating the positioning of lever means 78. The indicator means may comprise a plate 87 which preferably defines a segment of a ring. Plate 87 may be adjustably supported from cap 75 by means of a bracket 89 which is secured to the underside of the plate and clampingly engages the periphery of cap 75. Bracket 89 may be secured to the underside of plate 87 by any suitable means as a U-shaped clip 93 embracing bracket 89 and secured to the underside of plate 87 as by means of screws 95. Screw means 97 may be provided for holding bracket 89 in clamping engagement with cap 75 whereby the screw means may be loosened for adjustment and positioning of plate 87. The upper surface of plate 87 may be provided with graduations as at 99, whereby the relative position of pointer 85 along the graduations will indicate the amount of opening of the valve 74.

The upper end of depending pipe section 57 is coupled 4 to enlarged lower chamber 61 as by means of a hollow externally threaded plug 101 threadedly engaged in internal threading 103 provided in lower chamber 61. The upper end of depending pipe section 57 is secured in the bore of plug 101 as by frictional engagement therewith or by flaring the end of the depending pipe section.

The opposite ends of horizontal pipe section 55 may be respectively coupled to pipe section 53 and coupler 56 as by means of externally threaded double-ended hollow connectors 107, 108, which are respectively threadedly engaged in threaded sockets 107A, 108A respectively provided in the side of coupler 56 and pipe section 53.

Enlargements 109 are provided exteriorly of the pipe 55 adjacent opposite ends thereof. Nuts 111 respec-' tively threadedly engage the threaded ends of connectors 107, 103 away from coupler 56 and pipe section 53, with the annular shoulders 113 of the nuts respectively engaging the enlargements 109 to anchor the opposite, ends of horizontal pipe 55 to the connectors 107, 108.

A plug 114 having a channel 115 extending therethrough may be frictionally engaged interiorly of pipe 55 adjacent coupler 107, whereby restriction means is provided in the pipe to limit the flow of fluid th erethrough. Thus, if it is desired to change the amount of flow of lubricant through conduit 49, a different size passageway 115 may be provided.

The bore of connector 107 communicates with upper chamber 59 below the threaded portion of the chamber through a horizontal passageway 116 provided in the coupler extending from the threaded socket 107A to upper chamber 59.

Pipe section 53 is preferably vertically disposed with a central bore 117 extending vertically thereof and having a horizontal side bore 119 extending from the central bore outwardly to communicate with the bore of connector 108.

An externally threaded access closure plug 121 is threadedly engaged in the interiorly threaded upper end of central bore 117, whereby means is provided for effecting entrance into the bore as for the cleaning thereof.

A nozzle 123 formed as from a short pipe section is secured in the lower end of bore 117 as by frictionally fitting the nozzle in the bore, Nozzle 123 provides means for spraying the lubricant uniformly over the surface of the molten metal, the spraying being illustrated in Fig. 1.

It will be understood that although conduit 49 and its related structure has been herein described as comprising segments of pipe sections coupled together, it is not intended to limit the present invention to this precise construction but the conduit and related structure may be formed otherwise, if desired, as by integrally forming the conduit.

There are two phases in the operation of the lubricator means of the present invention, the suction phase and the pressure phase.

In the suction phase the piston 15 is moved upwardly to a position as best illustrated in solid lines in Fig. 1. It will be understood a suction will be created in cylinder 13 when piston 15 is moved upwardly. This suction acts through the passageway comprising reservoir 25, mold 27, passage 39, mixing chamber 37, depending pipe 35 and conduit 49, to draw the molten metal from crucible 11 and the lubricant L from lubricant container 51 into the mixing chamber 37, and thence through passage?) into mold 27 and into reservoir 25. it will be understood that the lubricant will spray from nozzle 1.23 onto the upper surface of the molten metal in mixing chamber 37 to distribute the lubricant substantially uniformly over the surface of the metal. Regulating means 23 may be opened slightly to allow molten metal to flow in through inlet channels 31 and into cylinder 13 whereby a greater flow of metal will be effected which will compensate for the amount of leakage past piston 15. More details of the purpose and operation of the regulating means may be had by reference to Narrow Patent No. 2,531,290, issued November 21, 1950.

During the pressure phase of the operation, piston 15 is moved downwardly in cylinder 13 to a position illustrated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 whereupon the mixture of lubricant and molten metal which has been drawn in reservoir 25 and into cylinder 13 will be forced into mold 27, it being understood that the mixture will be forced into mold 27 through passage 26 and not through its previously described suction phase entrance passageways since check valve 33 will close off one entrance and valve ball member 43 sea-ting in valve seat 45 will close off the other entrance. Suitable cooling means, as cooling ring 125, wound around mold 27 adjacent the exit aperture 127 thereof will cool the molten metal so that it will be solidified. The solidified metal may then be drawn from the mold in a continuous strip as by means of a pulling mechanism, not shown. The pulling mechanism will simultaneously pull the solidified portion of the continuous strip of metal as the molten metal enters the mold. Thus it will be understood the pressure exerted by piston 15 need not be sufficient to ex-trude the metal from the mold, but only enough to force the molten metal into the mold as the continuous strip is drawn therefrom.

It will be understood from the foregoing that an efficient means is provided for lubricating strip casting machines. In contrast to the previous gravity-fed type lubricating means, the lubricator means of the present invention is suction fed whereby a high degree of regulation of feed may be accomplished. It will be understood that the lubricator of the present invention will not function in the absence of suction, it being observed that suction is necessary to draw the lubricant up through depending pipe section 57. The arrangement of the pipe sections to provide an inverted U-shaped conduit 49 provides a trap for the lubricant, whereby when the suction is cut off the lubricant will recede through depending pipe section 57 into the lubricant container 51. Thus all undesired dripping of the lubricant will be obviated in contrast to previous lubricator means employing gravity types of feed in which the lubricant would continue to drip and could not be controlled effectively. Also, it will be understood needle valve means 74 provides a very effective and efiicient means for accurately controlling the amount of lubricant mixed with the molten metal, such accuracy of control being highly desirable in strip lubricating machines. Also by the adjustment of plate 87 the valve means 74 may be readily calibrated and the lever means 7% placed at the desired setting.

It is not intended that the present invention be limited to incorporation with the particular strip casting machine illusrated in the present drawings, but is adapted for use with other types of strip casting machines. Thus, that portion of the present invention comprising conduit 49, lubricant container 51, valve means 74 and the related structure of these elements, may be readily attached to any type of strip casting machine by threadedly engaging pipe section 53 therewith so that conduit 49 is in communication with the suction phase of the machine.

We claim:

1. In a strip casting machine having a molten material container and a mold and having pump means, passage means coupling said pump means to said mold through a reservoir, said pump means having a pressure phase and a suction phase; lubricator means for introducing an admixture of lubricant and molten material into the mold and reservoir, said lubricator means comprising a lubricant container, a conduit terminating at one end. in a depending pipe opening into said lubricant container, a mixing chamber, said conduit being coupled at its other end to said mixing chamber whereby a passageway is provided from said lubricant container through said conduit for the flow of lubricant there through to said mixing chamber, the level of said container being below the level of said other end of said conduit whereby lubricant in a static condition in said conduit is urged towards said container by the action of gravity, valve means provided in said conduit for controlling the flow of lubricant therethrough, indicating means coupled to said valve means for indicating the amount of opening of said valve means, a depending conductor coupling the molten material container with said mixing chamber, additional passage means independent of the first said passage means communicating said mixing chamber with said mold, actuation of said pump means being effective during said pressure and suction phases to alternately cause pressure and suction in said reservoir, said suction being effective to draw lubricant from the lubricant container and molten material from the molten material container through said mixing chamher into said mold and reservoir, interruption of said suction during said pressure phase and gravity action upon the lubricant in said depending pipe being etfective to stop the flow of lubricant and urge return of the lubricant towards the lubricant container, and check valve means interposed in said additional passage means for admitting the admixture through said passage means into said mold during said suction phase and for preventing back flow of said admixture from said mold during said pressure phase.

2. In a strip casting machine having a molten material container and a mold and having pump means coupled to said mold through a reservoir, said pump means having a pressure phase and a suction phase; lubricator means for introducing an admixture of lubricant and molten material into the mold and reservoir, said lubricator means comprising a lubricant container, a conduit terminating at one end in a depending pipe opening into said lubricant container, a mixing chamber, said conduit being coupled at its other end to said mixing chamber whereby a passageway is provided from said lubricant container through said conduit for the flow of lubricant therethrough to said mixing chamber, the level of said container being below the level of said other end of said conduit whereby lubricant in a static condition in said conduit is urged towards said container by the action of gravity, valve means provided in said conduit for controlling the flow of lubricant therethrough, a depending conductor coupling the molten material container with said mixing chamber, passage means communicating said mixing chamber with said mold, actuation of said pump means being effective during said pressure and suction phases to alternately cause pressure and suction in said reservoir, said suction being effective to draw lubricant from the lubricant container against the force of gravity and molten material from the molten material container through said mixing chamber into said mold and reservoir, interruption of said suction during said pressure phase and gravity action upon the lubricant in said depending pipe being effective to stop the flow of lubricant and urge return of the lubricant towards the lubricant container, and check valve means interposed in said passage means for admitting the admixture through said passage means into said mold during said suction phase and for preventing back flow of said admixture from said mold during said pressure phase.

3. In a strip casting machine having a molten material container and a mold and having pump means coupled to said mold through a reservoir, said pump means having a pressure phase and a suction phase; lubricator means for introducing an admixture of lubricant and molten material into the mold and reservoir, said lubricator means comprising a lubricant container, a conduit terminating at one end in a depending pipe opening into said lubricant container, a mixing chamber, said conduit being coupled at its other end to said mixing chamber whereby a passageway is provided from static condition in said conduit is urged towards said container by the action of gravity, a depending conductor coupling the molten material container with said mixing chamber, passage means communicating said mixing chamber with said mold, actuation of saidpurnp means being effective during said pressure and suction phases to alternately cause pressure and suction in said reservoir, said suction being effective to draw lubricant from the lubricant container against the action of gravity and molten material from the molten material container through said mixing chamber into said mold and reservoir, interruption of said suction during said pressure phase and gravity action upon the lubricant in said depending pipe being effective to stop the flow of lubricant and urge return of thelubricant towards the lubricant container, and check valve means interposed in said passage means for admitting the admixture through said passage means into said mold during said suction phase and for preventing back flow of said admixture from said moldduring said pressure phase.

4. In a strip casting machine having a mold and having intermittent suction means acting on the interior of the mold, said suction means providing interrupted suction in said mold, lubricator means for introducing lubricant into the strip casting machine comprising a lubricant container, a conduit terminating at one end in a depending pipe opening into said lubricant container, said conduit being coupled at its other end to said mold whereby a passageway is provided from said lubricant container to said moldfor the flow of lubricant into said mold, the level of said container being below the level of said other end whereby gravity urges lubricant in said conduit towards said container, the suction in said mold being efiective to draw lubricant from the lubricant container against the action of gravity into said mold, interruption of said suction and gravity action upon the lubricant in said depending pipe being effective to stop the flow of lubricant and urge return of the lubricant towards the lubricant container, valve means provided in said conduit for controlling the flow of lubricant therethrough, and indicating means coupled to said valve means for indicating the amount of opening of the valverneans.

'5. Lubricator means adapted to be employed with a strip casting machine having a'suction phase and a pressure phase comprising a lubricant container, an inverted U-shaped conduit having a first leg opening into said lubricant container and a-second leg being adapted to be coupled to a strip casting machine whereby a passageway is provided for lubricant to flow from said lubricant container into the strip casting machine responsive to the suction of said'strip casting machine, the level of said lubricant container being below the level of said second leg whereby gravity urges lubricant in said conduit towards said container, interruption of said suction and gravity action upon the lubricant in said conduit being efiFective to stop the flow of lubiicant and urge return of the lubricant towards the lubricant container.

6. In a strip casting machine having a molten metal container, a mold for shaping strip being cast, a mixing chamber, means connecting said mixing chamber to the molten metal in said container, reciprocatingpump means for alternately producing suction and pressure, first passageway means communicating said pump means with the interior of said mold, second passageway means communicating said mold interior'with said mixing chamber, a container open to atmosphere and disposed below the level of said mixing chamber, having a supply of lubricant therein, an inverted U-shaped conduit having a leg of major length and a leg of minor length, sa'id major length leg extending downwardly into said lubricant, said minor length leg communicating into said mixing chamber, suction produced by said pump means cornmunicating with said mixing chamber through said'first and second passageway means and said mold interior concurrently to draw molten metal into said chamber and to draw lubricant through said conduit against the force of gravity into said chamber to discharge onto the moltenmetal in said chamber and form an admixture of metal "and lubricant and to draw said admixture into said mold interior, and check valve means in said second passageway means positioned to close said second passageway means under the influence of pressure produced by said pump-means to prevent passage of molten metal from said mold toward said mixing chamber.

7. In a strip casting machine having a molten metal container, a mold for shaping strip being cast, a mixing chamber, means connecting said mixing chamber to the molten metal in said container, reciprocating pump means for alternately producing suction and pressure, first passageway means communicating said pump means with the interior of said mold, second passageway means communicating said mold interior with said mixing chamber, a container having a supply of lubricant therein, an inverted U-shaped conduit having a leg of major length and a leg of minor length, said major length leg extending downwardly into said lubricant, said minor length leg communicating into said mixing chamber, suction produced by said pump means communicating with said mixing chamber through said first and second passageway means and said mold interior concurrently to draw molten metal into said chamber and to draw lubricant through said conduit against the force of gravity into said chamber to.discharge onto the molten metal in said chamber and form an admixture of metal and lubricant and to draw said admixture into said mold interior, and check valve means in said second passageway means positioned to close said second passageway means under the influence of pressure produced by said pump means to prevent passage of molten metal from said mold toward said mixing chamber.

8. In a strip casting machine having a molten metal container, a mold for shaping strip being cast, a mixing chamber, means connecting said mixing chamber to the molten metal in said container, reciprocating pump means for alternately producing suction and pressure, first passageway means communicating said pump means with the interior of said mold, second passageway means communicating said mold interior with said mixing chamber, a container open to atmosphere and disposed below the level of said mixing chamber, having a supply of lubricant therein, an inverted U-shaped conduit having a leg of major length and a leg of minor length, said major length leg extending downwardly into said lubricant, said minor length leg communicating into said mixing chamber, suction produced by said pump means communicating with said mixing chamber through said first and second passageway means and said mold interior concurrently to draw molten metal into said chamber and to draw lubricant through said conduit against the force of gravity into said chamber to discharge onto the molten metal in said chamber and form an admixture of metal and lubricant and to draw said admixture into said mold interior.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,438,951 Elrod Dec. 19, 1922 1,466,125 Faupel Aug. 28, 1923 1,567,363 Elrod et al. Dec. 29, 192 1,800,938 Hedly Apr. 14, 1931 2,531,290 Narrow Nov. 21, 195 2,540,523 Horn Feb. 6, 1951 

